The present invention relates generally to the funeral products industry, and more particularly to columbarium and other memorial structures.
Cremation is a growing segment of the funeral industry and there is a growing demand for new and innovative products to personalize and commemorate the lives of the deceased by their loved ones. A Columbarium is a commonly known memorial structure for storing the cremation remains of the deceased.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,124 to Brannan discloses a columbarium structure having a horizontal stone base, vertical stone end walls and a stone top forming a chamber for housing a plurality of cremation remains containers. A support frame comprising a plurality of interconnected metal horizontal rods and vertical struts to secure the containers is positioned within the structure. Cover plates adapted to attach to the support frame function as outer doors for the containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,356,891 to Freeman discloses a concealed panel locking mechanism that includes a locking member movable within a channel formed in a niche door to either engage or disengage the locking member from a channel formed in the columbarium wall. In one embodiment, the locking member is formed from ferromagnetic material that is moved to a locked or unlocked position by a magnetic force generated by a magnetic key placed on the outside surface of the niche door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,417 to Hancovsky discloses a container for storing and transporting cremation remains. The container is adapted to be inserted in a columbarium niche having an opening surrounded by a niche plate. The container is provided with locking tabs to secure it within the columbarium niche. The niche opening is closed by a faceplate attached to the niche plate by threaded tamperproof fasteners.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,781 to Eickhof discloses a soffit lock for retaining a stone cover plate or other facing that is removable to provide access to a columbarium niche or the like. The soffit lock attaches on the inner surface of the cover plate and includes a hook portion wrapping around and over the top of the cover plate. A stud member is threadably received through an orifice formed in the soffit lock. The stud member may be raised to engage a bore formed in the soffit for securing the cover plate to the columbarium.
A disadvantage of existing columbarium systems is that many utilize hardware such as rosettes, fasteners, metal frames and the like to secure the niche door. A generic key is typically used to open all niche doors and thereby permit unauthorized individuals or vandals in possession of a generic key to access any or all of to the columbarium niches.
There is therefore a continuing demand in the funeral industry for new designs and styles of funeral products, particularly products that provide a system for securing memorial structures against tampering or vandalism.